Diving Into Love: "Love Does Not Delight In Evil"

 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

We continue in our study about how to love people, which is learning how to treat them. We have been learning how to treat people. The anchor passage has been showing us how to treat everyone, no matter who they are. When we treat people in this way, then we are loving them like God wants us to, which is the whole point of this study.

So, the next characteristic of love is that "it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

The easiest way to explain this is Romans 12:9,

Romans 12:9 NIV

[9] Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

We "hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

We turn from evil and do good. We cling to the truth in God's Word. That is how we learn what is good in this life, by the truth of God's Word. So we cling to that instead of doing evil. We hate evil and rejoice with the truth of God's Word, which shows us what is good.

We treat all people with the goodness we learn from the Word of God, never evil. 

Let's look at scripture now:

Psalms 34:12-14 NIV

[12] Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, [13] keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. [14] Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Psalms 97:10 NIV

[10] Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalms 101:2-5, 7 NIV

[2] I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. [3] I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. [4] The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil. [5] Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate.

[7] No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.

This is saying that we will not tolerate evil in our lives or those who practice evil.

Proverbs 8:12-14 NIV

[12] “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. [13] To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. [14] Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.

This personification of wisdom shows us how to be wise in turning from these behaviors.

Proverbs 10:23 NIV

[23] A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

Proverbs 11:27 NIV

[27] Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.

Proverbs 24:19-20 NIV

[19] Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, [20] for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Romans 12:17-19, 21 NIV

[17] Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. [18] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

[21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 NIV

[22] reject every kind of evil.

2 Timothy 2:22 NIV

[22] Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1 Peter 3:9-12 NIV

[9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. [10] For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. [11] They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. [12] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

So, we always turn from any kind of evil and treat people good when we love them.

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post